Can opener



Oct. 5, 1954 T. L. LANE 2,690,615

CAN OPENER Filed Sept. 28, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Thomas Le'o LaneINVfiNTOR.

Oct. 5, 1954 T. L. LANE CAN OPENER 2 Sheets$heet 2 Filed Sept. 28, 1953INVENTOR.

Fig. 2

Thomas Leo Lane BY M Patented Oct. 5, 1954 UNITED STT assent ram OFFICE5 (Slain-as. (Cl. -3( --6.1)

This invention relates to a can opener and more particularly to afixedlymounted can opener in which a can is inserted and opened bymovement of the can.

.An object of this invention is to provide a can opener in which a metalcan may have the top perforated by sliding the can inwardly relative tothe supporting base.

Another object of this invention is to provide a can opener having apivoted perforating member on a base which is actuated by a slidingmovement of a can supporting member.

A further object of this invention is to facilitate the perforation ofsealed cans of liquid contents.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a can openerwherein the can is at all times maintained in a vertical position toavoid spilling of the contents upon opening thereof.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operaton as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the can opener forming the subject ofthis invention;

Figure 2 is a top view of the preferred form of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the preferred form of thepresent invention showing the can puncturing plate in raised position;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view similar to Figure 3 with the canpuncturing plate shown in its lowered position; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the section line55 of Figure 2.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, it will beseen that the im proved can opener forming the subject of this inventionincludes, as shown in Figure 1, a mounting bracket H) which is adaptedto be fiXedly se cured to a vertical support and a can support I 2.

The bracket in is provided with a first pair of rails Hi extendingperpendicular thereto. The rails M are formed of a U-shaped channel memher with the openings IS in the rails I l facing toward one another. Theother ends of the rails are sealed as at l8. Suitable braces 22 aremounted between the rails It and the bracket ID rigidly securing therails in position.

A second pair of rails 22 are mounted on the bracket above the rails M.The rails 22 are rigidly held in position by braces 2d. The rails 22 areformed of U-shaped channel members having openings 25 therein facingeach other. The outer ends of the rails 22 are jo d o e and sealed by aplate 28. Rails 22 extend at an angle downwardly from the brackets [0toward the rails 15.

The can support l2 comprises a bottom plate 32 upon which a can 32 willrest and an upwardly extending wall 34. Wall '34 is shaped to conformwith the contour of the wall of a can 32 when the can is placed inposition on the support. A pair of rollers 35 are mounted on the wall 34at diametrically opposite points near the top of the wall. The rollers36 are mounted in the openings it in the rails l4 and permit the cansupport to be moved toward and away from the bracket ID.

A vertically extending longitudinal member 38 is secured to the rear ofwall 34 adjacent the midpoint thereof. The member 38 extends above thewall 35 and is provided with a bifurcated end 4!]. A link 42 ispivotally secured at its midpoint to member 38 at the bifurcated end 62thereof.

, A can puncturing plate 44 having a pair of ears 46 secured to the topthereof at the center is pivotally mounted on one end of the link 42 bymeans of a pin 48 extending through th ears 46 and the link 42. Thelower surface of the can puncturing plate 44 is provided with a pair ofsharp projections 50 at diametrically opposite points thereon.

A pair of rollers 52 are mounted on opposite sides of the other end oflink 2. The rollers 52 are received in the openings 26- in the rails 22.

In practical use, a can is mounted on the support l2 and thecan and thesupport are moved in a direction toward the bracket It. As the supportI2 moves rearwardly link 42 will b caused to move about the pivotalconnection to the support 12 thereby causing the projections 52 topuncture the top of the can. The plate 64 is urged downwardly due to therollers 52 riding up along the rails 22. After the can has beenpunctured movement of the support 12 and the can away from the bracketwill cause the plate 44 to be raised thereby allowing easy removal ofthe can from the support. The rollers 36 and 52 will be prevented fromseparating from the rails it and 22 by means of the members 18 and 28respectively.

From the foregoing, the construction and op eration of the device willbe readil understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A can opener comprising a bracket adapted to b secured to a verticalsupport, a first pair of parallel rails secured to said bracket andextending perpendicular thereto, a can support mounted for slidingmovement on said first rails, a second pair of rails secured to saidbracket above the first pair of rails, a can puncturing plate, means forconnecting said can puncturing plate to said can support and said secondpair of rails.

2. A can opener comprising a bracket adapted to be secured to a verticalsupport, a first pair of parallel rails secured to said bracket andextending perpendicular thereto, a can support mounted for slidingmovement on said first rails, a second pair of rails secured to saidbracket above the first pair of rails, a can puncturing plate, means forconnecting said can puncturing plate to said can support and said secondpair of rails, said can support having a pair of rollers extendingoutwardly from the sides thereof at diametrically opposite points, saidfirst rails comprising a pair of channel members having their openingsfacin toward each other, said rollers being received in the openings inthe channel members.

3. A can opener comprising a bracket adapted to be secured to a verticalsupport, a first pair of parallel rails secured to said bracket andextending perpendicular thereto, a can support mounted for slidingmovement on said first rails, a second pair of rails secured to saidbracket above the first pair of rails, a can puncturing plate, means forconnecting said can puncturing plate to said can support and said secondpair of rails, said can support having a pair of rollers extendingoutwardly from the sides thereof at diametrically opposite points, saidfirst rails comprising a pair of channel members having their openingsfacing toward each other, said rollers being received in the openings inthe channel members, said second pair of rails being comprised ofchannel members having openings therein facing each other, said secondrails extending downwardly at an angle from the bracket toward the firstpair of rails.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said means for connecting the canpuncturing plate to the can support and the second pair of railscomprises a link pivotally secured adjacent its midpoint to the top ofthe can support, said can puncturing plate being pivotally secured toone end of said link and a pair of rollers mounted on opposite sides ofthe other end of said link, said rollers being received in the openingsin the channels of the second pair of rails.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said can puncturing plate isprovided With a pair of downwardly extending projections atdiametrically opposite points.

No references cited.

